Surf Snowdonia Adventure Parc, the Conwy Valley’s premier tourist attraction, opens its floodgates for the 2016 season this weekend, promising to be bigger, better and wetter than ever before!
For those of you unfamiliar with Surf Snowdonia, imagine an inland lagoon located in an impossibly beautiful rural location… sounds unique? Actually, it is; Surf Snowdonia is the only freshwater ‘wavegarden’ of its kind in the world!
An experience like no other…
Labelled ‘one of the world’s hottest new experiences’ by Lonely Planet, Surf Snowdonia utilises innovative ‘WaveGarden’ technology to generate waves as tall as a fully-grown adult. Wave after wave rise up from the deep transforming the 300m lagoon into a watersports lovers playground.
At present Surf Snowdonia is a one-of-a-kind attraction and it’s something the local community are really proud of – it offers an amazing day out for thrill seekers and families alike. You don’t have to be a surfer to enjoy a fun-packed day out here; there’s a lot more than just waves on offer.
If you love messing about on the water you might like to try kayaking or a paddleboard safari, but if you prefer to keep your feet firmly on dry land Surf Snowdonia has an excellent bar-restaurant with a stunning panoramic glass wall giving views right across the lagoon. Youngsters are well-catered for too, with Surfer Sam’s Soft Play Shack (complete with coffee shop for parents) for little nippers and the brand-new Crash & Splash lagoon for over 12s (and anyone who’s young at heart).
What’s new
Surf Snowdonia have invested massively in the Dolgarrog site since the end of the 2015 season and over £1 million has been pumped into improving the existing facilities and launching new attractions. The surf park came in for a lot of criticism last year owing to several untimely breakdowns of the WaveGarden motors. This was a priority issue for the team and, working closely with the motor manufacturers, they’re confident they’ve sorted any problems the system experienced during its first year of operation.
Surf Snowdonia’s camp site has been refreshed and is ready for the new season, with the quirky wooden ‘pods’ offering great value accommodation for groups of friends, families or couples looking for a unique weekend getaway. If you’ve ever fancied ‘glamping’ but didn’t want to break the bank, this is a great introduction in a breathtaking location. All pods have underfloor heating and electricity, and sleep up to four. The site offers pristine toilet and washing facilities, plus great dining options at one of Surf Snowdonia’s many eateries.
The hotly anticipated Crash & Splash obstacle course is the biggest new addition to Surf Snowdonia for 2016. This water-based assault course incorporates slides, rope bridges, boards and climbing walls in an exciting challenge of bravery and balance. Crash & Splash, however, saves the best ‘til last and conquerors of the course get to celebrate by being catapulted from the Blob – a huge inflatable cushion that launches riders high into the air before dumping them unceremoniously into the lagoon!
Surf Snowdonia’s paddleboard, canoe and kayak offerings have also been improved for the 2016 season with extra specialist sessions being put on throughout the week, plus a range of ‘safaris’ on the river – one of which is a 16 mile round trip from Dolgarrog to Conwy Castle at the mouth of the Conwy Estuary.
With free parking and free entry Surf Snowdonia makes a great day out for surfers and non-surfers alike. Of course, surfers need no encouragement, but if you’ve never tried it, go along and see what’s it’s all about. You never know, you might find yourself inspired to hit the waves too!
IMAGE: (© Copyright Hogyn Lleol and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)
